THE HUNGER GAMES AT THE CAPITAL: DEJA VU OR REALITY?

Post-apocalypse, a country is formed that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. The people in the Capitol region rule over the 12 districts and live a life of luxury in a highly protected environment where the common people are not allowed to enter. The common people in the other poor districts have to work hard to provide the resources to the Capitol region so that the rulers/leaders can maintain their luxurious lifestyle.

The country is ruled from behind closed doors, a building without an address or a telephone number. The people in that building do not allow the leaders they appoint to actually lead and put in place a puppet leader, while they control everything behind the scenes.

The ordinary citizens from the other poor districts have no access to any healthcare or law & order and have to struggle to make a living. Any uprising or discontent is brutally suppressed by the police forces sent by the rulers in the Capitol.

The President of the Capitol tells his council members that it is okay to give the districts hope but that too much hope can actually be dangerous.

If this sounds familiar it is the story of the “Hunger Games” which was a hugely successful movie recently.

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But while watching the recent protests of the enraged public to the brutal gang-rape of a young woman in New Delhi, I got a feeling of Déjà vu. This was an uncanny parallel to the movie where battalions of police are mobilized to protect the “Inner Circle” of the Capitol where the VVIP’s live and the citizens- girls, women, old people are beaten and tear-gassed for having the audacity to come to this sacred sanctorum, meant only for the privileged people. You want to protest, fine! Go and protest somewhere else – NOT here! Ordinary people are not allowed here! This is the message that we get from the authorities as they seal off the New Delhi district and shut down the Metro services.

It is always scary when Life imitates Art or is it the other way around. Either way the message is clear - this is the comfort zone of VVIP’s and how dare you presume to enter this area!

In PART III of the Constitution of India under FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS is the Right to Freedom which says -

(1) All citizens shall have the right—

(a) to freedom of speech and expression;

(b) to assemble peaceably and without arms;

(c) to form associations or unions;

(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;

So here we have a revered location where in a few weeks the nation will be celebrating the birth of the Constitution of India for the 63rd time! At this same location we are witnessing the murder of the fundamental provisions of the Constitution of India!

For over 60 years we have mostly the same political parties and politicians in power and they have not done anything for the dignity & safety of women in India. We cannot expect any change from these people. It is an insult when these politicians come out to make statements when horrific incidents like this happen and claim to understand the pain of the victims as they too have daughters. Do their daughters travel in public transport and get groped and have to listen to lewd comments? Do they walk around like the other women do in markets and go to work every day? No they do NOT! They are protected by VIP security, travel with escorts, study in privileged schools or abroad! These pathetic attempts to get sympathy just because they have daughters, is an insult to the citizens of India.

What we need is a massive change in a system which fosters & breeds connivance between law-makers and those who are supposed to implement the law. We need to throw out a system which hides personal accountability behind “Committee of Enquiry” or “The Government. We cannot allow a system where politicians make hurtful and derogatory remarks and then claim they are being “misquoted” or “this is a political conspiracy”!

We desperately need ACCOUNTABILITY! And it is apparent we will not get it from this present system.

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results."

So can we expect an “Indian Spring” where hopefully out of chaos will arise a new order or can we expect the current unrest to be brutally beaten by “lathis” and tear-gassed into submission! Or perhaps the response will be stonewalling by “The Government” until the public anger subsides and the protest end in a whimper much like the month of March.

My money is on a brutal response to break the back of this public outrage much like the British response used to be to similar protests by ordinary citizens fighting for freedom for India.

In conclusion I’d like to quote an old Italian proverb –

“After the game, both the King and the pawn go into the same box”~ Italian proverb